Romania-EU military cooperation: official visit of the European Union military chief and new strategic directions

The assessment of the collaboration between the Romanian Army and the military structures of the European Union, as well as the identification of new directions for strengthening interoperability and joint training were among the topics of discussion between General Gheorghiţă Vlad, Chief of the Defense Staff, and Lieutenant General Michiel van der Laan, Director General of the European Union Military Staff and of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability, who is on an official visit to our country.

According to the press release issued by the Ministry of National Defense, the discussions had a profound strategic stake, targeting Romania's contribution to the operations and missions of the European Union, with an emphasis on the support provided to Ukraine through the European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM UA). Through this commitment, Romania continues to demonstrate that it is a responsible actor, capable of assuming an active role in defending European values and security, in a complex geopolitical context, dominated by the conflict in the proximity of its borders. By actively engaging in the EUMAM AU Mission and by participating in capability coalitions, Romania is not only supporting a partner under the pressure of aggression, but also directly contributing to the security of the entire continent. This solid, pragmatic and coherent approach confirms Romania's status as a reliable partner and key actor in the European Union's defense architecture. General Gheorghiţă Vlad reaffirmed, during the meeting, the firm commitment of the Romanian Army to strengthen the security posture of the European Union on the Eastern Flank. This objective reflects a coherent strategic vision: collective defense and European solidarity are the key to maintaining peace and stability. At a time when security challenges are becoming increasingly diverse - from conventional to cyber or hybrid threats - Romania is taking a proactive role, providing resources, expertise and infrastructure to strengthen common defense.

The visit of the European Union's military chief takes place at a time when the unity, interoperability and rapid reaction capacity of European forces are essential for the stability of the continent.

Looking ahead, the military partnership between Romania and the European Union will deepen by expanding joint training programs, modernizing military infrastructure and intensifying exchanges of technology and expertise. One example of joint training is the European F-16 Training Center in Romania, which is increasingly becoming a regional hub for pilot training and improving modern combat techniques. This center is not only a symbol of technological progress and international cooperation, but also proof of the fact that our country is making a concrete contribution to increasing Europe's defense capacity.

Moreover, in recent years, hundreds of specialists from different EU member states have participated in exercises and training programs in Romania, which has strengthened ties between European armies and increased the efficiency of joint actions. An example of this is the multinational exercise Dacian Fall 2025, which is taking place these days (between October 20 and November 13), conducted on the territory of Romania and Bulgaria, an exercise in which over 5,000 soldiers with 1,200 technical means from ten allied states participate: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

All these initiatives aim to strengthen the collective response capacity to threats and strengthen Europe's strategic resilience.